It is difficult to think of a clean slate in life. After all, whenever you start anything, there’s the tendency to refer to what had happened in the past. Much as experience can be a friend, it can also be a hindrance to embracing the new of the new. There are glimpses available, though, of […]
Read More Year Eight – New BeginningsHe heard my cry. A people had been subjected to decades of oppression. Their entire identity seemed to be defined by slavery of the harshest kind. It was as though no one was listening to them. But He was listening and He had not forgotten them. He saw their suffering and felt their pain and […]
Read More Year Seven – ReleaseThere’s a phrase that endeavours to describe a series of troubling events. The phrase suggests that when things get bad it’s as if all hell broke loose. Interesting phrase. It’s an especially interesting phrase when those circumstances are viewed with the benefit of hindsight. Surely no one wishes for anyone to go through the pain of […]
Read More Year Six – Sometimes When All Hell Breaks Loose …There is something that comes along from time to time to help guard against complacency. It’s the rumblings. Allow me to give you an example of it in operation. You’ve got a new job. There’s those initial stages of adapting to the new routines and the new environment. Then there’s understanding how things operate beyond […]
Read More Year Five – When The Rumblings BeginTrue growth never takes place in your comfort zone. I am a big fan of the comfort zone. I like the concept, I like it a lot. The familiarity, the sense of rest and being at ease with matters that are designed for you to keep going with the minimum of effort. I am, however, […]
Read More Year Four – Growth and ComfortThe rise was great, which meant that the fall would be at least as great. They never saw it coming. They thought he was rock solid. He showed up to all the meetings, he diligently made all the notes, he didn’t cause any controversy and although he had his foibles, there was so much more […]
Read More Year Two – Necessary FailingsIt’s been an intense few weeks for me. It feels like it’s been a heavy few weeks as well. Like there’s been quite a lot more to carry than usual. It’s been gruelling and in the last week in particular, it’s felt very challenging. Obviously in it all, what’s really been important has been watching […]
Read More Year One – Those First ImpressionsIt’s weird when I think about. There’s really nothing about me that would make me someone who is naturally inclined to enjoy prayer meetings. Growing up in a church background I genuinely found prayer and prayer meetings to be among the most boring parts of the Christian practices to which I was exposed. I remember […]
Read More Prayer, People and PersistenceRecently I reflected on what has informed my worldview. In my childhood I asked a lot of questions and usually those questions began with the word ‘why’. For whatever reason those I asked the questions to were somewhat uncomfortable and unsettled by those questions and looked to shuffle me off with a standard line suggesting […]
Read More Streams … For GrowthHere’s how it sometimes works for me. I will read a scripture. There will be thoughts that I’ll have on it and I’ll chew over it. Then I will listen to that same scripture being read – where pertinent listening to the dramatised version which has been a treat. Listening to it will perk up […]
Read More Growing in Knowing Involves a Change
